Emergency cut-off for flush tanks



1956 D. l. MORITA EMERGENCY CUT-OFF FOR FLUSH TANKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 5, 1953 Deer: Mar/fa IN V EN TOR.

Jan. 10, 1956 b. 1. MORITA 2,729,827

EMERGENCY CUT-OFF FOR FLUSH TANKS Filed May 5, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dee/1 Mar/fa United States Patent EMERGENCY CUT-OFF FOR FLUSH Dean I. Morita, Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii Application May 5, 1953, SerialNo. 253,12 12 Claims. C]'. 4-52) The present invention relates, to; new and useful imv. provements in flush tanks, and more particularly to. an. emergency cut-off to. stop. the. drain ge or; flow of, Water from the flush tank to a toilet bowl, should the latter become clogged, or, otherwise tend to. overflow,

An important object of the invention is to provide an emergency cut-off valve for the drain pipe. of the flush t nd whic s no ma l nqsit q ed o t: of te r s h With the usual rubber ball valve which controls. the outlet for the. flush tank and providing. control means for the emergency valve which is carried by; the usualg handle p e f Op nin h rubbe ba l; valve.

Another b e t o the n ent on. 19. pr an. aehcy -h t al e Q thi charact r whi is rmally supported above and at one side of the outlet or drain pipe for the flush tank and which ismanually moved into. a position directly over t;l1 e ;o,utle t or drain pipe to subject the emergency cut-off to suction of water passing into the drain or outlet pipe to pull the emergency cutoff downwardly into a closed position.

A still further object is to provide an emergency cutoff valve of this character which will remain locked in closed position until the toilet has been restored to normal working condition.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efiicient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and install in operative position upon a conventional type of flush tank mechanism and which otherwise is well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view with parts of the flush tank being broken away and shown in section;

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the emergency cut-off in open or inactive position;

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the emergency cutoff in closed position; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the swivel connection for the cut-off valve.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a toilet flush tank from the bottom of which an outlet or drain pipe 6 leads to a toilet bowl 7. The outlet or drain pipe 6 is controlled in the usual manner by a rubber ball valve 8 which is semi-automatic in operation and raised by a handle 9 on the outside of the flush tank into an open position and which is closed by gravity after the contents of the flush tank has been drained into the bowl.

The emergency cut ofl comprises a semi-automatic valve 10 in the form of a rubber disk or other suitable 2,729, 27 Patented Jam 10 1.95s

material which is normally supported above and to one. side of the. upper end of the drain or outlet pipe 6 by means. of an. arm- 11 which is swivellyconnected. at one. end to the. disk 10.. and: extends upwardly therefrom and havingits other end suitably fixed to. a collar 12; which is slidably androtatably mounted-0n the usual column 13 on which the. flush mechanism. is supported. A V -shaped; lockingdog14 extends downwardly from collar 12 and is, adapted, to enter a V.-shaped notch 15. in the upper edge of a locking collar 16. which is secured in adjusted position below collar 12 by means of a set screw 17.

A lower arm 18: projects laterally from collar 12; and is formed with a longitudinal slot 19.- and in; which the lower end of a. vertical rod 20 is positioned to, rotate the collar 12 by a rocking movement of the rod 20. A ball- 21 is fixed to an intermediate portion of the rod 20 and which, is swivelly held in a socket 22 which is attached in a fixed position to the column 13 by means of; a collar- 23 and set screw 24. The upper endof rod; 20- is, posttioned in a longitudinal slot 25 of an upper arm 26. and, which is pivotally supported at its intermediate portion, for horizontal swingingv movement on a pin or threaded stud. 27. which is adjustable vertically and extends downwardly from an arm 23 which projects laterally from a collar 29] secured. in adjustable position at the upper portion ofthe collar 13 by means of a set screw The. outer endof connecting arm orbar 26; is also formed, with a longitudinal slot 31 in which the dOwnha l weedi inn nd m ls-P a en a ed- Rod 33 is slidable in a bore 34 in the shaft 35 of handle 9 and the outer end of rod 33 is provided with a knob 36. Shaft 35 is hexagonal or other non-circular shape in cross-section and to the inner end of which a collar 37 is secured and which is formed at one end of the trip lever 38 for rubber ball valve 8.

In the operation of the device, collar 12 is set in a raised position with locking lug 14 disengaged from notch 15 and with the collar turned to position emergency cutoff valve 10 above and at one side of the upper end of outlet or drain pipe 6. The valve 16 is thus positioned out of interference with the rubber ball valve 8 which may be operated in the usual manner by handle 9 to flush the toilet.

Should the drain for the toilet bowl become clogged, or otherwise tend to overflow, after the handle 9 has been manipulated to flush the bowl, the knob 36 for rod 33 is pushed inwardly to swing the rockable bar or arm 26 and which also rocks the vertical rod 20 which has its lower end engaged in slot 19 of lower arm 18 to thus turn collar 12 in a direction to swing emergency cut-off valve 10 directly over outlet or drain pipe 16 and to align locking lug 14 with notch 15. Suction of water entering the top of pipe 6 aided by gravitation will pull valve 10 downwardly into closed position to cut off further flow through pipe 6 into the bowl. As the valve 10 moves downwardly, lug 14 will enter notch 15 to lock valve 10 in closed position.

After the drainage of the bowl 7 has been opened, the valve 10 may then be lifted from pipe 6 and rod 33 pulled outwardly to again set the emergency cut-off.

The shaft 35 for handle 9 is free to turn on rod 33 in order to operate the flush valve 8 without affecting the emergency cut-off valve 10.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equiv- P iQlI hack. 3.2. t a

alents may be readily resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a flush tank having a drain pipe leading to a toilet bowl, a semi-automatic valve mounted in the tank and manually actuated into an open position, and a second semi-automatic valve also mounted in the tank and manually actuated into a closed position, said drain pipe including a common valve seat for both valves, said valves being selectively moved into a closed coaxial position with each other for alternately closing the drain pipe, and independent actuating means for said valve to selectively open one valve and close the other valve.

2. In combination, a flush tank having a flush mechanism therein and including a semi-automatic valve for a drain pipe leading from the tank to a toilet bowl, a swingable handle for actuating the valve, a vertical supporting member in the tank, an emergency valve swingably and slidably mounted on said supporting member into and out of coaxial position with the first named valve and into and out of aligned position with the drain pipe for also closing the upper end of the drain pipe when the first named valve is open, and a push-and-pull handle for actuating the second named valve and carried by the swingable handle.

3. In combination, a flush tank having a drain pipe leading to a toilet bowl, a flushing mechanism in the tank and including a first valve closing the upper end of the drain pipe, a handle connected to the first valve for opening the valve, an emergency cut-ofif valve for the upper end of the drain pipe, means in the tank supporting the second named valve in a set open position out of alignment with the drain pipe, a second handle carried by the first handle and connected to the emergency valve to release and actuate the latter into alignment with the drain pipe for closing movement when the first valve is open,

and means opposing movement of the emergency valve from its closed to its open position.

4. In combination, a flush tank having a flush mechanism therein and including a semi-automatic valve for a drain pipe leading f-rom'the tank to a toilet bowl, a vertical supporting member in the tank, and an emergency semi-automatic valve slidably and swingably mounted on said vertical supporting member for closing the upper end of the drain pipe.

5 In combination, a flush tank having a flush mechanism therein and including a semi-automatic valve for a drain pipe leading from the tank to a toilet bowl, a vertical supporting member in the flush tank, an emergency semi-automatic valve, a collar for said last named valve slidably and rotatably mounted on said member for moving said last named valve into and out of closing position with said drain pipe, a stationary member having a notch in its upper portion, a locking lug on said collar supporting the emergency valve in an open position, and manually actuated means for turning the collar to release the emergency valve for gravitating into closed position and to lockably engage the lug in said notch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 948,876 Geiger Feb. 8, 1910 1,960,864 Brown May 29, 1934 2,175,973 Reed Oct. 10, 1939 2,237,294 Easley Apr. 8, 1941 2,440,389 Anderson Apr. 27, 1948 2,505,091 Brebis Apr. 25, 1950 2,528,441 Kolar Oct. 31, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 634,759 Great Britain Mar. 29, 1950 

